Guide means for high pressure press



May 11, 1965 'r. HALL GUIDE MEANS 'FOR HIGH PRESSURE PRESS 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29. 1963 yaw M ATTORNEYS May 11, 1965 H. 1'.HALL 3,

GUIDE MEANS FOR HIGH PRESSURE PRESS Filed Jan. 29, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENT OR HOWARD T HALL fuz/z ATTORNEY May 11, 1965 H. 1'. HALL3,182,353

GUIDE MEANS FOR HIGH PRESSURE PRESS Filed Jan. 29, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR H. T. HALL GUIDE MEANS FOR HIGH PRESSURE PRESS May 11, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 29, 1963 y 65 H. T. HALL 3,132,353

GUIDE MEANS FOR HIGH PRESSURE PRESS Filed Jan. 29', 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet5 IN VEN TOR. 22o HOWARD T. HALL ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,182,353 GUIDE MEANS FGR HlGl-I PRESSURE PRESS Howard T. Hall, Provo,Utah, assignor to Research (forporation, New York, N.Y., a corporationof New York Filed Jan. 29, 1963, er. No. 254,747 Qlaims. (til. 18 16)This invention relates to guide and alignment means for multiple pressmember, high pressure presses and, in particular, to guide and alignmentmeans for high pressure presses which include a plurality of pressmembers which are moved rectilinearly toward a common point to form aclosed polyhedral press cell.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide guidemeans which simplify the operation of multiple press member presses bygreatly reducing the time required to close the press members and whichinsure proper alignment of the press members at all times, therebysubstantially increasing the operating life of the press members and, atthe same time, providing for more reproducible results from highpressure apparatus.

It is another object to provide guide and alignment means for highpressure presses having a plurality of press members which move alongrectilinear paths toward a common point to form closed regular polyhedrasuch as the tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, and dodecahedron and whichmay also be employed with unsymmetrical polyhedra, the press elements ofwhich move along rectilinear paths toward a common center to formtriangular prism shaped cells, rectilinear parallelepiped cells and thelike.

In general, the invention is embodied in a high pressure press includinga plurality of press members, means for moving each of the press membersrectilinearly toward a common point to form a closed polyhedral presscell; guide means interconnecting the press members whereby each pressmember is simultaneously guided toward the common point comprising aguide block secured to move with each press member toward the commonpoint, a rectilinear opening in each of the guide blocks axially alignedwith a cooperating rectilinear opening in each adjacent guide block, anda rectilinear guide rod having opposite end portions slidably positionedin each cooperating pair of openings in adjacent guide blocks.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a tetrahedral pressincluding the guide blocks and guide rods of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of three press membersand associated guide plates and guide rods for the tetrahedral press;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of one anvil member guideplate and guide rods for the tetrahedral press;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagramatic perspective view of a cubical press includingthe guide plates and guide rods;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the structures shown in FIG. 5 through theaxis of four of the ram elements of the press;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary partial sectional view of one of thepress elements and guide plates illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the structures shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an octahedral pressincluding the improved guide rods and guide plates of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a section substantially on line 1i)10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an octahedron.

In multiple press member high pressure apparatus, typified by thetetrahedral press disclosed in my United States Patent 2,918,699, issuedDecember 29, 1959, the hydraulic rams have usually been valvedindependently for urging each of the press members toward the pressclosed position. The position of each ram and, consequently the positionof each press member, during the operation of closing of the press hasbeen indicated by precision gauges. To operate a tetrahedral press suchas shown in Patent No. 2,918,699, it has been customary to individuallyposition the lower triad of press members to form a nest. The samplecontaining pyrophyllite tetrahedron is then oriented with one of itsapices facing downwardly in the nest formed by the triad of presselements. Then the upper, vertical press member is brought into positionagainst the upward facing base of the prophyllite tetrahedron. At thispoint each of the press elements is individually moved by smallincremental amounts until the press elements have postively engaged thepyrophyllite tetrahedron sample holder and a good press gasket hasformed by extrusion of the pyrophyllite tetrahedron edges between thesloping press faces. This procedure usually requires a total of threeincremental adjustments for each press ram performed in systematicorder. After the pyrophyllite gasket has formed, all valves to thehydraulic rams driving the press members are opened and hydraulicpresure is then simultaneously applied to each ram. During the course ofincreasing pressure, it has been found to be often necessary to stop theflow of hydraulic fluid to individual rams for brief intervals in orderto maintain equal advance of the press members toward the common centerpoint of the tetrahedral cell.

Failure to maintain equal press member advance leads to unsymmetricalgasket formation which results in a loss of pressure. Unsymmetricalgasket formation may also produce undesirable, unbalanced loads onvarious parts of the high pressure press and may result in failure of apress member.

Through the use of the anvil guide and alignment means of the presentinvention, human error and tedium are eliminated as the guide meansassure alignment of the press at all times.

The simplest polyhedra is the tetrahedron and guide means for atetrahedral press of the type disclosed in United States Patent No.2,918,699 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings. Referringto FIGS. 1 through 4, 10 generally designates a tetrahedral highpressure press and includes four press members which, while identical inconstruction and generally designated with the reference numeral 12, arealso identified by the letter designations a, b, c and of so that theorientation of the press members with respect to one another may be morereadily visualized.

Each of the press members 12 comprises an anvil member 14 having anequilateral triangular face 16 at the extended end thereof with the sidewalls of each of the members 14- sloping away from its equilateraltriangular face 16 along each of the edges thereof as more clearly shownin FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, each of the anvilmembers is supported in a binding ring 18, and each binding ring isprovided with sloping faces which form continuations of the slopingfaces of the anvil members 14.

Each of the four press members 12 is moved along a rectilinear pathtoward a common center by four hydraulic rams, the piston rods of whichare illustrated at 26. As is known in the art and as shown in US. Patentin FIG. 4 of the drawings.

3 2,918,699, each of the, piston rods is associated with a hydraulic ramwhich rams are connected to a source of pressure fluid through suitablevalved conduit means whereby each press member 12 may be moved into andout of the press closed position.

The press member guide and aligning means of the 'invention includes aguide plate or block 22a, b, c and (1, one for each of the pressmembers. The guide blocks 22 are bored as at 24 to receive the extendedend of its respective piston rod 20 and each of the guide blocks 22 maybe secured to the end of its piston rod by suitable setv screws or thelike, not shown in the drawings. Each of the guide blocks 22. is adaptedto receive a center- 'ing ring or plate 26 which is secured to the guideplates 'by suitable threaded studs 28. Further, each .of the pressmembers, centering rings and guide blocks 22 is oriented by means ofsuitable keys and keyways generally designated 30 cooperating withcentering screw means 32. A suitable electrical insulating strip 3 maybe provided between each of the guide blocks, the

top of its piston rod and its cooperating centering ring and pressmember. a

The insulating material 34 is employed where electrical means areutilized for heating a sample maintained in the press during thepressing operation. .Also, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a channel 36 may beprovided in the centering ring and means, not illustrated in thedrawings, may be employed for directing a cooling medium through saidchannel to prevent overheating of the press members or transmission ofheat from the sample to other elements of the press assembly.

Each of the guide blocks 22 is provided with three rectilinear bores 38spaced 120 from each other and oriented with respect to the triangularedges of the face 16 of its anvil member 14 such that one is positioneddirectly opposite an apex of the triangular face 16 as illustratedFurther, each of. the rectiliner bores 38 forms an angle of 35.26 withthe center line of its piston rod 20 as illustrated in FIG. 3 of thedrawings- Within each of the rectilinear bores is slidably received oneend of one of the guide rods 49, thus the assembly includes six guiderods to interconnect the four guide blocks of the tetrahedral press.Referring particularly to FIG.1, it will be seen that the guide rodsslidably received in the three bores in guide plate 22d extend to eachof the other three guide plates 22a, b and 0. Of the remaining threeguide rods, one interconnects guide block 22a with guide block 220;another interconnects guide block 22a with guide block 22b; and the lastinterconnects guide block 22]) with guide block 22c. I

In an assembly where the diameter of the guideblock is about 8 /2inches, it has been found that guide rods approximately 5 inches longand 1 inch in diameter will provide very satisfactory results. Further,it has been found that for ease of operation, it ishelpful if one end ofeach of the guide rods is secured such as by a set screw in one of thebores of one of its guide blocks, leaving the opposite end free toreciprocate in the bore in the adjacent guide block as the press isopened and closed. a

It will be particularly noted that the axes of the guide rods form aregular tetrahedron and since all of the press members areinterconnected by guide rods and plates,'each of the four rams areforced to move synchronously together. Consequently, the press membersmove simultaneously and symmetrically toward the center of the press andas the rains move inwardly, the regular tetrahedron defined by the guiderod axes decreases in .of multiple press member presses. For example, acubic press utilizing six press members would require six guide blocksand 12 guide rods iitustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, 7

i and 8. The guide blocks fastened to each of the six hydraulic ramswould have four guide rod holes spaced around the periphery at angles toeach other with the axes of the rectilinear openings being at 45 angleswith respect to the ram axes.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, such a cubic pressprovided with the press member guide and alignment means of theinvention is generally illustrated at 109. The cubic press includes sixpress members which, while identical in construction and generallydesignated with the reference numeral 102 are also identified by one ofthe letter designations a through so that the orientation of the pressmembers may be more readily visualized. It will be particularly noted inFIGS. 5 and 6 that the sides of the cubical cell 103 are formed by pressmembers 102a, b, c and d while the top is formed by press member M20 andthe base by press member 102 Each of the press members 1&2 comprises ananvil member 1% having a square face at its extended end and each of theside walls of each of the members 104 slopes away from its square facealong each of the edges thereof as more clearly shown in FlG.-8.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 through 8, each of theanvil members-104 is supported'in a binding ring 168, and each bindingring is provided with sloping faces which form'continuations of thesloping faces of the anvil members 104 Each of the six press members 102is moved along a rectilinear path toward a common .centerby a hydraulicram, the piston rods of which are illustrated at and correspond with thepiston rods 20 illustrated in FIGS.

-1 through 4.

The press member guide and aligning means of the invention includes aguide block or plate 112a, b, c, d, e and 1, one for each of the pressmembers. The guide blocks 112 are bored as at 114 to receive theextended end of its respective piston rod 114) and each of the guideblocks 112 is secured to theend of its piston rod by suitable fasteningmeans not shown in the drawings. The ,guide blocks 112 are each adaptedto receive a centering ring 116 which corresponds to centering rings 26of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4. Thecentering rings, theguide blocks and the press members are oriented .bymeans of suitable keys and keyways generally designated atllS and asillustrated in the prior form of the invention, an insulating strip 120may be provided between each of the guide blocks, the top of its pistonrod and its centering ring and press member.

Each of the guide blocks 11.2 is provided with four rectilinear bores122 spaced 90 from each other and oriented with respect to the squareedges. of the face 166 of the anvil members 1% such that oneis'positioned directly opposite an edge as illustrated in FIG. ,8 of thedrawings. Further, each of the rectilinear bores 122 forms an angle of45 with respect to its ram axis. Within each of the rectilinear bores122 is slidably received one end of one of the guide rods 124, thus theassembly includes 12 guide rods to interconnect the six guide blocksofthe cubical press.

As discussed with reference to the tetrahedral press, one end of each ofthe 12 guide rods is preferably secured by a set screw or the like inone of the bores of one of its guide blocks thereby leaving. theopposite end to reciprocate in its adjacent guide block as the press isopened and closed. 7 g

In this form of the invention, it will be noted that the guide rodsdefine a cube and since all'of the press members'are interconnected byguide rods and plates, each of the six rams, are forced to movesynchronously and simultaneously together. Consequently, the pressmembers aremoved simultaneously and symmetrically toward the centerofthe press and as the rams move inwardly, the cube defined by the guiderod axes decreases in size.

The press member guide device is illustrated as applied to a pressconsisting of eight press members in FIGS. 9 and 10 with the pressmembers closing to form a regular octahedron perspectively illustratedin FIG. 11. In the case of an octahedral press, there are a total of 12guide rods symmetrically disposed at 120 angles with respect to eachother around each ram axis. Thus, there are three bores in each of theguide plates of the octahedral press with each guide hole forming anangle of 54.74 with respect to its ram axis.

Referring specifically to FIG. 11, a regular octahedron is illustratedwith faces a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h. The press is thus provided witheight guide plates 212a through 21211 (plate 212c not being shown in thedrawings). Each of the guide plates is secured to the end of a pistonrod 214 associated with a hydraulic ram not illustrated in the drawings.Each of the guide plates 212a through It also has secured thereto apress member 216 including an anvil portion having a regular triangularface 218. The press guide plates 212a through h are each provided withthree rectilinear bores symmetrically disposed at 120 angles withrespect to each other with the bores aligned with the edges of thetriangular faces 218 of their respective anvil members.

The rectilinear bores in each of the guide plates form an angle of 54.74with respect to the axis of their respective piston rods 214. Theassembly also includes 12 guide rods 220. Opposite ends of the guiderods are slidably received in their respective bores in the guide plateswhereby each guide plate is interconnected to adjacent guide plates toprovide an assembly of guide rods which define an octahedron whichdecreases in size as the press members are urged toward the press closedposition.

As hereinbefore discussed, the principles of the invention are alsoapplicable to unsymmetrical polyhedral presses. It will be appreciatedthat in the case of unsymmetrical polyhedral presses, the number ofopenings in each of the guide blocks also correspond to the number ofedges on its respective press member and that the interconnecting guiderods are positioned to define the selected unsymmetrical polyhedralpress cell.

I claim:

1. In a high pressure press including a plurality of press members,means for moving each of the press members rectilinearly toward a commonpoint to form a closed polyhedral press cell; guide meansinterconnecting the press members whereby each press member issimultaneously guided toward the common point comprising a guide blocksecured to move with each press member toward the common point, arectilinear opening in each of the guide blocks axially aligned with acooperating rectilinear opening in each adjacent guide block, and arectilinear guide rod having opposite end portions slid- 6 ablypositioned in each cooperating pair of openings in adjacent guideblocks.

2. In a high pressure polyhedral press including a press member for eachface of the polyhedra, means for moving each of the press membersrectilinearly toward a common point to form a closed polyhedral presscell, each of the press members having a face, the edges of whichcorrespond to the edges of the respective face of the polyhedral presscell, guide means interconnecting the press members whereby each pressmember is simultaneously guided toward the common point comprising aguide block secured to move with each press member toward the commonpoint, a rectilinear opening in each of the guide blocks opposite anedge of the face formed on each of the press members and axially alignedwith a cooperating rectilinear opening in adjacent guide blocks, and arectilinear guide rod having opposite end portions slidably positionedin each cooperating pair of openings in adjacent guide block.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the polyhedral press cellcomprises a regular polyhedron.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the regular polyhedroncomprises a tetrahedron.

5. In a high pressure tetrahedral press including four press members,means for moving each of the press members rectilinearly toward a commonpoint to form a closed tetrahedral press cell; guide meansinterconnecting the press members whereby each press member issimultaneously and uniformly guided toward the common point comprising aguide block secured to move with each of the press members toward thecommon point, three rectilinear openings in each of the guide blocksaxially aligned with cooperating rectilinear openings in each adjacentguide block, and a rectilinear guide rod having opposite end portionsslidably positioned in each cooperating pair of openings in adjacentguide blocks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 852,892 5/07McCall 25-121 1,660,411 2/28 Bodor 1816 2,315,634 4/43 McCall 25-4282,827,683 3/58 Benart et a1. 25130 2,918,699 12/59 Hall.

2,968,837 l/61 Zertlin et a1.

2,994,921 8/ 61 Hultgren.

3,052,916 9/62 Campbell.

FOREIGN PATENTS 218,231 4/61 Austria.

1,073,849 1/60 Germany.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A HIGH PRESSURE PRESS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PRESS MEMBERS,MEANS FOR MOVING EACH OF THE PRESS MEMBERS RECTILINEARLY TOWARD A COMMONPOINT TO FORM A CLOSED POLYHEDRAL PRESS CELL; GUIDE MEANSINTERCONNECTING THE PRESS MEMBERS WHEREBY EACH PRESS MEMBER ISSIMULTANEOUSLY GUIDED TOWARD THE COMMON POINT COMPRISING A GUIDE BLOCKSECURED TO MOVE WITH EACH PRESS MEMBER TOWARD THE COMMON POINT, ARECTILINEAR OPENING IN EACH OF THE GUIDE BLOCKS AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH ACOOPERATING RECTILINEAR OPENING IN EACH ADJACENT GUIDE BLOCK, AND A